Three Blockbuster West Coast Museum Exhibits Closing This Weekend

Jan 04, 2013Joe KleimanMuseums, NewsComments Off on Three Blockbuster West Coast Museum Exhibits Closing This Weekend

Three major exhibits at science centers on the US West Coast will be ending their runs on Sunday, January 6, 2012.

LOS ANGELES, CA — CLEOPATRA: THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST QUEEN OF EGYPT, CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER

This exhibit features the largest collection of its kind ever assembled in the U.S. More than 150 priceless Egyptian artifacts illuminating the life of Cleopatra VII, one of the most provocative and powerful women in history, are on view including colossal statues, jewelry, coins and items from her sunken palace in Alexandria and other ancient sites that were significant during her life as queen.

Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt immerses visitors in the experience of two present-day searches on land and sea for the elusive queen, which extend from the sands of Egypt to the depths of the Bay of Aboukir near Alexandria. The artifacts weigh in at about 30 tons in total, including two 16-foot granite statues of a Ptolemaic king and queen from the 4th – 3rd centuries B.C.

SAN JOSE, CA — MYTHBUSTERS: THE EXPLOSIVE EXHIBITION, THE TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION

Discovery Channel’s Emmy®-nominated series, MythBusters, comes to life to uncover truths behind popular myths by mixing scientific method with gleeful curiosity and old fashioned ingenuity. MythBusters: The Explosive Exhibition creates hands-on, interactive experience for guests of all ages by combining scientific facts with innovative, family-friendly displays.

Mythbusters: The Explosive Exhibition seeks to “bust,” “confirm,” or judge inconclusive such pressing questions such as Will running in the rain keep you drier than walking? Or, can an airplane really take off from a conveyer belt moving the opposite direction? Guests learn about myths, the MythBusters and what experimenting is all about by participating in a series of fun, hands-on experiences and live demonstrations. Experiments cover topics such as flight, friction, gravity, speed and combustion.

SEATTLE, WA — TUTANKHAMUN: THE GOLDEN KING AND THE GREAT PHARAOH, Pacific Science Center

More than 30 years after the first King Tut exhibition captivated Seattle, the magic and mystery of the boy king returns to the Pacific Northwest with an almost entirely new selection of treasures and more than twice the number of artifacts. The exhibition features more than 100 artifacts from the tomb of King Tut and sites representing some of the most important rulers throughout 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history. Most of these artifacts have never been on display in the United States before this exhibition.Come face-to-face with the largest image of King Tut ever unearthed – a 10-foot-statue of the pharaoh found at the remains of the funerary temple of two of his high officials.

See authentic objects from King Tut’s tomb including jewelry, furniture and statuary, as well as the boy king’s golden sandals – created specifically for the afterlife and found covering his feet when his mummified remains were discovered by Carter. An extraordinary gold death mask that covered the head and chest of the mummy of King Psusennes I is also showcased along with artifacts belonging to some of ancient Egypt’s most powerful rulers, such as Khufu, whose face adorns the Great Sphinx and who built one of the Great Pyramids, the only remaining structures of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

CLOSING JANUARY 13:DENVER, CO — A DAY IN POMPEII,DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE

On August 24, AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the vibrant Roman city of Pompeii under volcanic ash for hundreds of years. Through January 13, the Colorado community has the opportunity to explore the daily life-and tragic end-of this thriving metropolis with A Day in Pompeii at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Visitors uncover the treasures of a city steeped in legend, examine casts of the volcano’s victims frozen in their last moments, and discover the power of volcanoes past and present.

Pompeii’s rediscovery in the early 1700s-building by building, street by street, and block by block-became one of the greatest archaeological sites ever unearthed. A Day in Pompeii showcases more than 250 exceptional artifacts that lay buried in the ruins-including room-size frescoes, marble and bronze sculptures, jewelry, gold coins, and everyday household items. The 13,000-square-foot exhibition evokes the richness, culture, and bustle of daily life in Pompeii.

In addition to seeing rare artifacts, visitors will experience what it was like to live in ancient Pompeii as they enjoy digital re-creations, activity carts, and conversation with the Museum’s historical enactors.